Damon Dash’s vision for his Poppington apparel line is 100% independent and made in America using the highest quality materials and construction. On BET’s Music Moguls, Dash finds the key to his vision in Indie Source.

The BET crew captures Dash and partner Raquel M. Horn’s visit to Indie Source and meeting with Zack Hurley and Emily Meaker, where they review sketches and discuss samples. Dame’s reaction when he receives his samples from Indie Source? In a word – LOVE!

“To make something in America, at the quality and level that you like it … to me that’s real fashion,” says Dash. “With a group like Indie Source, I can make my samples, I can cut to order. I don’t have to hold a lot of inventory, because inventory’s what kills you in the fashion business.”

As a company that was created to help support independent designers, Indie Source is excited to be manufacturing Dame Dash’s vision for Poppington. We help designers like Dash develop their initial product. They bring us their sketches and we make modifications, source the fabric, and put together a collection for them. Once they’re happy with samples, we take them into production. And we manufacture it all here in Los Angeles. Indie Source is transforming the fashion industry in LA and making dreams into reality for indie designers.

Check us out in the Music Moguls episode below and find out more about what Indie Source has to offer independent fashion designers.

There are many aspects in creating and establishing a brand from conceptualizing an idea, to developing that idea, & formulating the buzz to get your merchandise into the hands of your consumers. As an up and coming designer of an emerging brand, it’s all about strategizing and comprising some sort of a marketing plan to acquire exposure from various media outlets. Of course, with the incentive to maximize and build that brand identity and recognition. The question is—How do brands obtain media attention to attain the exposure that they are looking for that lends itself to a successful first and lasting impression? Here are some helpful tips to capitalize on garnering the media’s attention and develop a relationship with them, so they view your brand as newsworthy to be written about.

As a designer, you need to determine the publications that fits your niche market and demographic for your brand, so you could develop a voice to establish your brand’s identity. When finding a voice for your brand, it’s all about brand recognition and becoming aware of who your competitors are to find out what separates and makes you different from those brands. This is so important because to garner the attention of editors and reporters, you need to know how to pitch the story behind your brand to sell them on what makes your brand so unique and different. Once, you’ve found your voice, then you could create your own press release to paint that picture and depict to journalists the significance and savviness of your brand.

Establish and create your own press release and tell your brand’s story

A press release is a snapshot and synopsis that tells professionals in the media industry the journalistic W’s of your brand. It is the editorial formula that describes the who, what, when, why, and how of your brand with the intention to ignite media’s interest. So, they feel that writing about your brand will have value to their readers. The motivating factor is to discover the angles and hidden stories of your brand that will compel editors and writers to give your brand the press and publicity you seek. Therefore, it probably would be a wise investment to hire a professional writer, who can provide a well-written press release that conveys the underlying message of your brand. Also, trained writers possess the ability to read between the lines and can be more objective in deciphering what makes your brand stand out. This way they can write the prose of your press release, while simultaneously thinking on how to effectively pitch future editorial ideas regarding your brand to these same publications. Therefore, your press release will serve as an introduction and concise summary of your brand in order to plant the seed in the minds of these media insiders, so they are cognizant and aware of your brand with the goal of getting something published. However, make sure that your press release includes your contact information, so publishers, editors, and journalists can easily contact you for a press opportunity.

Research writers and editors of these publications and establish professional relationships with them

So, once you have fine tuned your press release and have emailed them to publications that you have determined will be a right fit for your brand, it’s a good idea to research some of the writers of that publication as well. The basis for this is because you want to find the right writer to approach when you do a pitch for an editorial story for your brand. Get to know their writing style and research some of their previous articles and become familiar on what appears to moves them, and what do they seem to like to write about. Find out what is their area of expertise. Do they strictly write about new trends in fashion for the different seasons? Do they take a more consumeristic approach and talk mostly about sales within retail and fashion. This way when you have decided on what angle of a story that you want to focus on pertaining to your brand, you will know what writer to approach. Also, it is very important that you just select one writer for each publication,and do not bombard several writers from that media source. You do not want to come off like you are spamming everyone. Because, writers and editors of the magazine come together during their meetings to discuss editorial ideas and topics for their upcoming issues, and you just do not want to be inconsiderate and waste a writer or publisher’s time, if all their writers are all pitching the same story idea for your brand. Especially,since journalists and media professionals are always on strict deadlines to get copy in,because they are in a competitive race to scoop the story and be the first media source to get the news out to the public and their consumers.

Attach your brand to a publicized event or charity fundraiser within your local community

Start with major events in your community that you’ve done the research that you know that a portion of your niche consumers may be attending some of these events, and find an avenue to get your brand involved. For instance, if your brand is targeting more of the younger urban slightly grunge vintage crowd—-find out if there are any music festivals or street fairs that are giving swag bags and see if you could put a promotional item in the bag that will get those niche consumers curious about your brand— enough to have them check out your website. You could also somehow become a major sponsor for the event by donating your time or an item of your collection, so your brand can be written about in the paper, or even make mention of your brand in any of their marketing and promotional pr materials that is publicizing the event. Here’s another idea—How about raising money for the fundraiser by auctioning a vintage denim studded jacket from your new line of eco–friendly fabrics to get people and media interested in writing about your brand. So get creative and storm up some innovative and unique ideas with your marketing team to get involved with these events as a means to attain brand awareness and get your brand noticed by the public, its consumers, and journalists, so you can claim your stake in the world of media and get your personal brand the attention it deserves!